Tuesday September 24
Hello. It’s been a while. As the teachers among you know, the routine of preparation, teaching, marking. feedback and anxiety can quickly fill almost all available time. That said, there is not a lot of anxiety.
My two classes of EFL are great. With twelve days down we have routines and a more comfortable working environment for most. As always, and perhaps even more so, the students’ levels vary greatly. However, they work very well together to ensure that everyone is successful. As a western teacher my initial (internal) reaction when someone whispers the answer to another student is, “Oh, is your name Joe? I though not.” That is so wrong here.
My two classes of EFL are great. With twelve days down we have routines and a more comfortable working environment for most. As always, and perhaps even more so, the students’ levels vary greatly. However, they work very well together to ensure that everyone is successful. As a western teacher my initial (internal) reaction when someone whispers the answer to another student is, “Oh, is your name Joe? I though not.” That is so wrong here. |
| Angus (!) and Alex |
The students see such action as coaching and teaching – and it is. Our challenge is to incorporate that into the “gradual transfer of responsibility” that is learning.
One of the experienced teachers gave a very good workshop on teaching pronunciation. This an area in which I have received nor formal training. It is fascinating to reflect on how we speak English. Our EFL staff includes teachers from Canada, USA, Spain, the Philippines and Albania and each has a different perspective on pronunciation. I was able to immediately incorporate some of his ideas in class and my lessons now have more call and response, and direct instruction on this topic.
The students write every day, and many seem to enjoy it. They take another course on listening and speaking using a very lively, well-organized and fast paced text/audio. The teachers in that course are all doing a greet job of engaging the students so their speaking skills are quickly improving.
It is mid-term week already! The poor kids have English midterms on Thursday and Friday evening. Next week is a week of the National Holiday and many hoped to leave early to get home. However, university policy is that nobody leaves early so every student is doing an exam on Friday evening. (At the higher levels, some may be able to convince a friend to write it for them … depends on how well the proctors are checking ID.
The teachers are a very collegial and professional lot. Our EFL level one group meets together to plan and design tests. We also always chat in the halls between classes … one of the young teachers said it looked like we were doing a huddle and cheer before re-entering the classrooms.
As usual, I have started to obsess about the teaching, creating new worksheets and activities for every lesson and carrying stacks of paper between room 314 and home. Balance is needed … and will be achieved. I can hear some of you saying, “Come on Lizzie, keep it simple. ” I’ll let you know how that goes!
Off to the EFL office for some office hours. I wonder if the students think this is an assigned class. Could be crowded. Hmmm …
Take care, Liz
We have a gaggle of ESL students who speak Portuguese who have started attending the Chaplaincy. One of the Canadian students who also attends has a TESL certificate and is working on her Masters in Education. Yesterday we had an impromptu lesson on "pattern" as it relates to textiles and we tried to help one fellow distinguish the difference in the initial vowel sounds of "buddy" and "body". Absolutely fascinating.
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